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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Cooking a Whole Hog Underground

Some more pics from this weekend....

I finally got the chance to cook another pig underground. It's been awhile and things just fell into place for me to get this done.

(for the few that are not aware that there is more than one way to cook an underground pig)
This is the western Okie way to cook an underground pig.... not the Hawaiian way. NO banana leaves... I use wet burlap feed sacks and baling wire to lift the pig in and out of the ground.
This method has been working for years.

I had a friend dig the pit with a backhoe...

This is the same spot I cooked the last one....
the pit was about 4ft deep.
Just make sure it's big enough for your pig plus a 1 and 1/2 ft or more bed of hot coals....

The pig I've been preparing for the last few weeks....

This is where your tenderloins come from... on either side of the spine on the inside of the pig..

Dehairing the pig with a blow torch.... you can skin the pig or scald and scrape..

Another method is lay the pig on a bed of straw then light the straw to burn the hair off...

Scrub and wash the pig....

Place on ice til needed...

Then start burning your wood. You need to use hardwood. Burn enough wood to make a bed of hot coals that are at least one foot deep. The deeper the better. You want the hot coals to cook the pig all night.

I injected the pig with a mixture of beef broth, onion and garlic powder and a bit of cayenne...

Then stuffed the cavity with onions, apples, whole heads of garlic, and jalapenos.

Also sprinkled the whole pig with a dry rub....

wrap the pig in a layer of foil, then burlap, then chicken wire.....

sew the chicken wire closed with baling wire and make LONG baling wire handles to help lower the pig into the pit and to help get the tender pig out when cooked....

Wet the burlap with water......

lay a grate on the hot coals. I like to lift the ends a bit with blocks....

lay some burned tin on the grate. This tin was saved from the last 3 pigs cooked underground. Do not use galvanized tin, but if you have to, make sure you burn it well before using.

Placed the seasoned, wrapped pig in the pit.....

Cover the hole.... I used some metal "lids" that I had on hand.. They are bare metal on the bottom, (do not use anything painted on the bottom)...

Then cover the whole thing with dirt. Make sure there is no smoke escaping... pile dirt especially around the edges to keep all air out of the hole.

Air in the hole will cause flair ups and the meat will burn.

Let the pig cook at least 12 hours...

Check the pigs temperature with an instant read thermometer if needed....

Lift the pig out of the pit using the baling wire handles....

The meat is so tender and juicy.....

By cooking the pig on it's back, the skin holds in the juices....

I sprinkled some of the pork with a dry rub and served several sauces on the side....

The pork with bacon wrapped corn, smoked tatoes, spicy shrimp, slaw, pinto beans, sauce and a cold beer. I forgot to get some garlic bread. (there was no way I could eat this plate full anyway:))

RD Thank you!! It looks like a lot of work but it's worth it. lolI used to keep an open pit in a fenced off area just so I wouldn't have to dig a hole everytime. But the wind was too strong to burn wood there. I had to move the location to a more protected area.

That was pretty interesting Jeanie. Nicely done. I was at a big barn party once where they cooked a pig in the ground. Back then I did'nt really pay much attention to the cooking process, but it sure was a good feast. I guess my job was to try and empty the two large kegs of beer. I gave it my best shot, but we did'nt quite get the job done that night, so we had to continue the next morning.

lol Thank you Mark! That sounds like some party! Did ya make it through both kegs? :)Reminds me of a time when some friends woke me up at 4 A.M. with a keg on my front porch. They were sure I needed to help them finish it. After some coaxing, they finally got me out onto the porch only to find out that there was about 1/2 a cup of beer left in the keg. They woke me up for that? lol

You need to have a pig roast at your next four wheeling get together. :)

Thank you Tjus!! I want a fishing camping show. lolI'll get that Dutch forum link to you. I'm having a hard time with my translations there but the pictures speak for themselves. lolThe people are really nice too!

I remember living in Santa Fe and doing our Thanksgiving turkey in the backyard! I have never had a better one than that one done in the ground. The ground is too wet here in Indy to try it. (And I use to pray for rain!) Wonderful pics and tutorial. Thanks so much.

Thanks Duane and Patricia!I bet that was a tasty turkey. :)Briskets and goats are good too.. There's something about underground cooking that keeps the meat so moist and tender. Mmmmm... :)Thanks for stopping by! :)

Boy does this bring back memories. I did that same thing 2 summers ago with a back hoe as well. 100 degrees in mid July in Upstate NY. We put too much wood underneath and when the unveiling came all we had were cinders...never laughed so hard in my entire life. Thanks for the memories. I gotta send you my album btw...I am country singer songwriter.Cooper Boone

There are some maguey mezcal (Agave neomexicana and A. scabra) that can grow in your region and are available in nurseries in the United States. So, if you grow some of them on your ranch you can have pencas (agave leaf) to make your own barbecue pit.The barbacoa of lamb in penca de maguey with morita chile sauce is delicious.

Thank you Jos! I will see what I can find in the nurseries here. It would be nice to be able to use the leaves... I imagine the flavor is wonderful! I would love to try your lamb recipe. Sounds so tasty!

Hi Anonymous!I just sent an e-mail to you.You can use these pits to cook anything.Timing is the thing...Plan on at least 8 hours for pork butts, briskets and turkeys.Chickens take less timeHogs take longer (overnight)You might be better off with the cinderblock pit for cooking a variety at one time.

Thanks so much Kinky Kitchen! :)I catch so much heck for my Colorado Kool Aid, it's nice to meet someone who enjoys it as much as I do. lolHope you are having a great weekend, thanks for stopping by. :)

Thank you so much Woogeroo! :)I've done many underground cooks and decided to keep track just in case someone else wanted to see what it's like.The meat comes out so tender and juicy. Also has a nice smoked flavor.Hope you give it a try! Thanks again! :)

My family used to cook underground all the time, especially when we are having a family reunion and we have been having them for 43 years. My uncle; rest his sole would bury a whole cow and large lard cans with beans. yummie.

Thank you Mapleguy!I would go with at least a 60lb pig. If you have leftovers you can freeze them for later.I hope you have great luck with the cook. Make sure you use hardwood for your coals, bury the pit so no smoke escapes or air gets in too.Best of luck to you! :)

That's great MapleGuy! I'd let it go for 8 to 10 hours. Make sure the hot bed coal is deep too. At least a foot of hardwood coals...and when you bury the pit, check for any smoke seeping out. Cover all holes with dirt so no air will get into the pit.Good luck with it!

Just wanted to say that I enjoyed your tutorial for underground cooking. Did it weekly for years growing up now passing it on to the next generation. So they will have the knowledge when it comes time for thier own Luau. Yeah the banana and Ti leaves are a covering but the Banana Stumps are the real key ;) thanks again for sharing!

Aloha Again Cowgirl!Thanks for your kind comments! When I was growing up this type of thing was a regular occurence. Nowadays the Keiki (Kids) are more into games or shopping than hunting,fishing,diving living off the land. Yes, the banana stumps are for moisture as well. Because of the fact that we use Imu rocks to keep heat longer. Without the stumps and leaves the items being cooked would burn. Enjoy your blog and will check back often.

Aloha Dom and you're very welcome. It sounds like we might be kindred spirits. :) Hunting, fishing, outdoor cooking and living off the land are a way of life for me too. I love the outdoors.Thank you for the information about the imu rocks too. I can see how they would be a great help in holding the heat in the pit.I was in Hawaii several years ago and absolutely loved it. I missed out on an underground cook but maybe next time I'll take one in.Thanks again Dom, it's nice to see you. :)

Hi Mark,I assume that is still on the hoof and not cleaned or are you cooking a 250lber? Either way it will take quite awhile.Plan on at least 15 hours and leave yourself an extra couple of hours before the party in case you need more cooking time.I like to bury them at night and let them cook all night.

For a pig that big you need a really deep bed of hot coals, 2ft wouldn't hurt. Use hardwood to make the coals. They last longer in the pit.Around here, old hedge fence posts work the best the are hard as a rock and burn long. Not sure where you are located... but find the hardest wood you can get.Oak is good.

It takes 3 to 4 hours to burn enough wood to get the deep bed of hot coals too.. so plan on taking two days to do the pig unless you get up really early to do it. :)

Hi Cowgirl, this info has been so helpful, thanks so much. I'm going to roast a 160 pound pig (dressed weight) in a pit like you described but it is lined with rock on bottom and all four sides. I'm wanting to stuff the inside with sour kraut and cabbage, veggies etc. is this a good idea or not so much. Also how long should I cook it for both stuffed and or empty. I have enough wood to make about 16 in. of hot coals. Any and all info would be very much appreciated. Thanks Tim

Thank you Tim! I'm glad to hear my pics have been helpful to you.I've not used rocks in a pit but bet they would be a big help holding in heat. I use hardwood for the hot coals so they will last long enough for the pig to cook. One that size would take 12 to 14 hours at the least I would bet. They do take longer when stuffed too. It's best to allow an extra hour or two too ... just to be sure it is cooked. It's so hard to put an exact time on a whole pig.I like to let them cook overnight.

Some folks like to put the hot rocks inside of the pig cavity too to cook them faster. If you give that a try, let me know if it works for you.

Sorry I can't be more specific on a time Tim. Good luck, hope it all comes out well for you!

Hi Cowgirl, thanks again for the info. How long can you keep the pig in the ground without the fear of over cooking. I'm doing a smaller pig (120 lb. and sfuffing the inside w/sour kraut and sausage) this weekend before I attempt the big one. Should this one go 12-15 hours as well? Thanks Tim

Hi Tim! You're welcome. I've not left one in the ground too long. There is more of a problem of not having a deep enough bed of hot coals to last through the cook.Once you get the pig in the ground the coals will start tapering off...not getting any hotter. SO you want enough to last the whole cook.At the end of the cook most of the coals will be out but the pig will still be warm.I would still go with 12 to 15 hrs on the 120lb stuffed pig. It is better to plan on extra time than to run short.Remember to use hard wood to make the hot coals so they will last.

Hi, Question for you....In Hawaii we make Kalua pig using Kiawe wood and stones to hold the heat, now that I'm living in Minnesota there is no Kiawe wood;) You mentioned "hard wood"...any types in particular?

Hi Adam and Adele!I use "well seasoned" hedge wood also called Osage orange. It burns hot and long. There aren't many trees in my area so my options are limited.Oak would be an excellent wood for underground cooking, also hickory.Good luck to you!

Hello Mr Hugus!Yes the hardwoods used give the pig a nice smokey flavor. The meat is moist and tender too. Works great on goat, beef heads, briskets, turkeys...just about any large cut of meat.Thanks for stopping by!

I will be doing this same style of pig roast this weekend. I have roasted a few pigs over a fire with a spit, but this is the first time I will be trying the 'underground' method. Do you happen to remember the size of the hog you used and how long it took? I have a 130lb pig, so trying to get a rough idea of how long to keep it buried. I was told 1hr / 10lbs...I can't wait though!!

Hi Tribal!I did not weigh this pig...just fed it out and butchered when it was time for the cook.I've cooked pigs as small as 75lbs and some over 200lbs. The 1 hr per 10lbs is a good guestimation. :)Remember to have the hot coal bed deep enough to last all night and use only hard woods. I have told people that they might try inserting a remote thermometer into a ham to keep an eye on the temp...but I have never done this.

I lay the pig on it's back. the skin protects the meat and holds in the juices. The skin is not edible like on a roasted pig.

Hope you have great luck with it Tribal! I would love to hear about your cook if you get the time.Thanks for stopping by my blog! :)

Hi Joseph,The foil is just regular wide heavy duty foil from the grocery store. I had burlap on hand but you can get it at a sewing store by the yard. Some discount stores like walmart carry burlap cloth by the yard.Hope this helps ya!

Curious...How does the pig turn out differently if you cook it using this method vs. the cinder block method? The pit method appears to be more of an anaerobic / steaming method. I would guess that the lack of air controls the temperature, and sealing the pig underground prevents the loss of moisture.

Yes Dave you are right. The underground pit keeps meat moist. Works great for any kind of meat...pigs, turkeys, goats, deer, etc.. The block pit is hot smoking. Meats are kept moist by brining or injecting. Out of the two methods, the underground pits puts out the most tender, moist meat than any above ground pit.

Hey Cowgirl,I noticed that you are headed out fishing, so you may not get this in time....but here goes.How long does it take to burn down the wood?? We have a trailer load of split oak and poplar, and are doing 2 120 lb hogs for my cousins wedding(good lord I hope this turns out, or his Momma will kill me).I think we have everything ready, but I have never done this before except for a bunch of drunks, who would have loved horse apples by the time we were done.Seriously though, we need an approximate time on the burn down, because of the wedding, and some people wanting hot food instead of underdone, or cold.Thanks for the blog, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Hi Jeffrey, Hope it's not too late...Takes about 4 hours to get the hot coal bed deep enough.Start burning a few logs and when they get down to hot coals, throw a few more logs on.. keep going until the hot coals are a foot deep. The more the better. You want them to last the whole cook.I like to do this the night before ( about 7 pm) and have the pig in the ground by 11 then let it cook overnight.Plan on adding a couple hours for anything that goes wrong.

The most I hear about is people not getting the hot coal bed deep enough or not using hard wood and they don't last through the cook.Good luck to you!! Hope it all goes well!!

Cowgirl, thanks so much for the information. Because of the threat of rain, we are starting a day early, and will cool all of the meat down, and reheat it on a grill, in foil pans. Thanks again for the help, and I'll let you know how it goes. I hope to get some good pictures, so I might send a couple.Thanks again, Jeff

Cowgirl, I sure appreciate your help. Because of rain in the forecast, we decided to cook the pig on Friday, cool the meat, and reheat it on sat. Nothing went right on Friday, and both our pits filled with water, so we called around in a panic until we found a grill large enough to cook two hogs on. Everything turned out ok, I finished pulling the pork just before the reception, and everyone loved it.Thanks again for the help, and I cant wait to try one in the ground.Jeff

I just wanted to stop and say thanks for this site! Last Friday I sat out in the rain burning a fire in my pit all day long (~.3 inches, so not enough to hurt the pit or fire). Put the pig in about midnight and at noon the next day, (with thankfully better weather) everyone was amazed at the site that we dug out! My first ever pig roast was a success and fed ~120 people! Couldn't have done it without you!

Joseph, I am so happy to hear!! :)Sounds lke you had rough conditions with the rain but great that it all worked out well for you!I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. You've made my day. Thanks Joseph! :)

Hi from Canada Cowgirl!Wondering if you might be able to offer any thoughts on alternatives for burning hard wood. We are going to try this the first weekend in July, and will have a tough time finding hardwood in northern Saskatchewan. Have you tried using charcoal briquettes?

Really appreciate your blog, it is exactly what I was looking for when we set out to try a pig roast. Really excited to give it a try!Thanks for your help with the hardwood problem.CheersScott

Hi Scott, it's nice to meet you!Hard wood is the best thing to use. Even store bought hard wood lump coal doesn't seem to last as long as when you burn it yourself.I've used briquettes and they do work if you use enough of them. The idea is to have enough to last the 12 or so hours that it takes to cook the pig. Most charcoal burns up after a few hours.Not sure if this is of any help to you Scott, sorry!! Hope you have great luck with the pig, I'd love to see pics when you get it cooked if you get the time.

Thank you Kalvin! They turn out pretty moist and tender in the underground pit. Nice smokey flavor too.Hope you have great luck with yours!

By black pot cooking do you mean cast iron? There are a few cooks scattered around my blog. I use cast iron a lot... camping too. Also have a few dutch oven cooks here. I need to spend more time on my blog organizing things. Most of the time I'd rather be outside than on the puter. :)

I had a good solid bed of coals about 9 inches deep last night. Put the whole pig in around 2:30 am. This morning the pit isn't very hot, only about 100 degrees and about 80 Degrees on top of the tin. We did the same as we did last time, however the ground was a bit wetter and colder. We have to pull it out at 6pm to eat today. Should we pull it out now, run a fire for about two hours and then put it back in for another six hours or so? EEK! What do I do? lol Thank you!

Just to let you know your still at/near the toplist when googled for "How to cook a pig underground" and the only "Cowgirl" version. Most others are "Hawaiian" style.It looks scrumptous and I'm looking forward to cooking my piglet from True Grass Farms here in Ca. with your great Cowgirl version!Thank you much for this again!Mark

Mark thank you for letting me know! I haven't been checking. Hope someone gets some use out of my post.Thought about doing a cinderblock pig for this weekend but looks like the weather might not cooperate. I need the rain worse than I need to cook a pig anyway. :)Good luck with your pig cook Mark, have a great weekend too! Thanks again. :)

hi! We're hoping to do an underground hog roast with friends in September, but can only get a half hog with skin off (that's how the locker does it). is this a problem? I also noticed you said the skin isn't edible this way? why is that? Thanks!

Hi Jill!Using a skinned half hog is no problem at all. The skin on an underground pig doesn't get crisp like a roasted pig. It's still edible but more leathery than crisp. Kind of chewy in spots. lol

You'll want to rub and season the skinned pig, then wrap in foil first, if you're using wet burlap, place the foil next to the pig and burlap on the outside so it won't impart flavor into the meat.Hope that makes sense...

I'm going to be gone for a week so If you have any questions, I'll get them when I return.Hope it all works out well for you.Thanks for stopping by Jill, nice to meet you!

This is awesome! I am thinking about lining the pit with concrete slabs left over from an old sidewalk and then using rocks in the pit to help hold heat. I'm thinking of a 180 pound dressed weight pig and figuring about 17hours of cook time. Would you have any concern about over cooking if the concrete would hold in so much heat? I'm also thinking of purchasing a left in meat thermometer for reassurance. Any suggestions are appreciated. We are celebrating 25 years of marriage, so it would be good to get this right as I would like another 25 years.

Cowgirl - I have been following your posts and thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us out here. We are holding our first annual pig roast next weekend. We have a 150lb pig, dressed on order and will pick up this week. We will put the pig in the ground on Friday around 4:00pm. We will pull the pig out at about 4:30 on Saturday. The pig will be in the ground for 24hrs. I am planning on wrapping it in cat tails and then burlap sacks. Should I use foil as well as the cattails to help retain the juices?

Bartstuff, thanks for stopping by!I have not used cattails but would still use the foil to hold in moisture.Good luck with your cook.Remember to get a good bed of hot coals going... when you burn the hard wood down and get a bed of coals, burn more. lol Can't have too much but you can have too little of a bed.Hope you let me know how it goes. Thanks! :)

Cowgirl I tried it and I will never cook a hog any other way thank ya so much for sharing this on here I am the one everyone comes to when they want to cook one under ground now and its all because of you thank ya so much for posting and cooking it really is most the fun with family an friends

Thank you so much Matt! I'm happy to hear you have good luck with this method. It's one of my favorite ways to cook meat. There's just something about underground cooking that tastes so good to me.Thank you for taking the time to contact me, I appreciate it more than you know.Hope you have a great winter! :)

Hey Cowgirl I'm planning to do my 1st pig for my daughter's bday. Can you inject mojo into the pigs meat or put chunks of garlic in the meat. Have you ever tried this or anyother seasonings? Thanks for any input this blog was awesome.

Hi David, sorry for not getting a reply to you sooner!Yes you can inject, marinate, use dry rubs, anything you want. You probably already know that too much sugar in a dry rub will burn (just thought I'd throw that out there).Treat the pig like a pork butt. use your favorite seasonings.The main thing about cooking underground pigs is to get a really deep bed of hot coals going before you bury it. They slow cook the pig overnight or for about 12 hours.Also, use hardwoods.

Hope you have great luck with it! Give yourself a couple hours (at least) of extra time.

Thanks for the kind comment about my blog. I appreciate you stopping by! :)

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About Me

Born and raised in the country, I Love wide open spaces.
Enjoy camping, fishing, hunting, and any form of outdoor cooking, hot, warm and cold smoking. Preserving what I hunt, catch, raise or forage. I enjoy being able to provide food for my table.
I'm thankful for each day and will never take anything for granted.
Thanks for stopping by!

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